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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

The Fragrance Foundation 2011 Fifi Awards are now accepting online ballots for the Consumer's Choice Award. You have until Midnight on May 12th to cast your ballot. The awards are for your favorite Women's and Men's Fragrances, and will be announced on May 25th in NYC at the FiFi Awards Ceremony and online at the Fragrance Foundation's website.

This year, the amazing Mandy Aftel of Aftelier Perfumes is honored with three (count 'em, three!) nominations for her Honey Blossom, Candide and Lumiere fragrances. I believe that this signals a very important shift in consumer perception of natural fragrances. Natural fine fragrance exists, and perfumers like Mandy have set the bar very high.

I've had the pleasure of testing Honey Blossom (and have saved what I have left in my vial specifically for Spring), and that is the fragrance that got my vote this year. It is a linden-based honeyed perfume shot through with orange blossom and mimosa, anchored with a touch of ambergris and benzoin. It is the ONLY perfume aiming for honey that I've ever tried that does not turn sour or dusty on my skin. It is a revelation in rays of sunlight, the finest ingredients nature has to offer manipulated for one single goal: to create happiness.

While I would encourage anyone to support true artistry in natural fragrance and cast a vote for Aftelier Perfume Honey Blossom, the most important thing is that people vote. As a perfume-obsessed individual, I am happy to have a place to go where my vote is needed to let the best of the best shine.

Thank you so much Carrie -- your wrote about all of it in such elegant way and I really appreciate your support about the award. It has been such a beautiful experience to me as an artist to feel that I am in such a rich community of friends who love perfume and want to see a small natural perfume get a fifi!Mandy Aftel

I've never tried any of Mandy's creations, but thanks to the lovely Lucy of Indieperfumes, that will soon be amended, and I can't wait for it! I'd vote for her too, but voting is off-limits for non-US residents. On the other hand, I voted for her linden blossom collaborator, Andy Tauer, in the UK FiFis.

I love that natural and indie perfumers are finally getting the attention they deserve - this is where the artistry is created now, and in a generic era, we should appreciate it as much as we can!

Joanne: I think you'd love Mandy's scents. Don't overlook Tango, I've got a feeling about that one for you. I personally need to try a bunch more!

Mimi: I'm so glad you're supporting Mandy too! I feel very heartened about the support and award that Andy Tauer received and I believe that it's going to happen for Mandy too.

Birgit: Thank you! My response to Aftelier creations is always very strong and I find the scents very inspiring.

Mandy: All I can say is, good luck! I hope I have made even a smidgen of difference for you. I joked that I willed Andy to win his Fifi, I wished so hard for it. I will be doing the same for you. Fingers crossed!

Tarleisio: Honestly, I'm stoked that fine natural perfumery is on the rise in terms of popularity, quality and creativity. Through people like Mandy, we are learning that the best natural ingredients are costly, and very tricky to work with, so they require a special hand to be successful. I must admit that Mandy, as well as Anya McCoy have absolutely changed the way I think about natural perfume. It's an altogether different sensory experience for me to use them, and there are times when synthetics just won't do.

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Published Material

Featured in Dariush Alavi's book Le Snob: Perfume, out Oct/Nov 2012. Published by Hardie Grant Books, UK

Carrie Meredith was interviewed for the Oct. 2011 issue of Allure Magazine